Dear Book Friends,
I know this is just a newsletter about books, but I’ve done my best to be honest and open with you all. And especially since I’ve shared my cats with you every week, I would feel odd if I didn’t start the newsletter today by sharing some difficult news. Earlier this week, my sweet baby kitty Phantom died unexpectedly. He was only a year and seven months old. It happened quickly. We don’t know why. The vets don’t know why. But we are all (including kitties Murray and Cersei) completely shattered by this loss.
I am so happy that I had the chance to know Phantom for the short time he was here with us. And I am so happy I had an opportunity to share him with you. He was a sweet kitty, and he will be missed more than I can express.
Anyway, you’re here for book news, so I will get to that right away. But stay til the end for one last Phantom picture. Thank you all for letting me share this bit of personal news. I hope your week has been going better than mine!
đź’™ Emily
Book Deals and Reveals
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Earlier this week, Sergio Gomez released the cover of his next horror novel Halloween Slaughter, which will be out on October 11th.
Marvel fans, rejoice! Ms. Marvel, the MCU’s Muslim teen superhero, is coming soon to Disney+, and this week the first trailer for the upcoming series was released. Ms. Marvel will premiere on June 8, 2022.
Cora Reilly’s self-published novel A Touch of Fate will not be released as planned after being called out for ableism. Reilly says the book has been paused while she consults sensitivity readers.
Here’s the cover reveal of TJ Klune’s The Damning Stone, the fifth book in his Tales from Verania series.
Rainbow Rowell has announced her next book, a collection of short stories titled Scattered Showers. The collection is set to release on November 8, 2022.
Pride Month will see the launch of a new Poison Ivy series that will continue throughout the year. This new six-issue comic, by G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel, Invisible Kingdom) and Marcio Takara, will tell the story of Ivy leaving Gotham City and delivering “a gift to the world that will heal the damage humanity has dealt to it.”
Bridgerton‘s Ruby Stokes has been cast to star in Lockwood & Co., a series adaptation of Jonathan Stroud’s book series.
SIMI Winery, a Sonoma County company, announced on Monday the introduction of the Editor’s Collection Rosé. This new rosé was created in collaboration with Reese Witherspoon’s book club.
The Lambda Literary Awards (or “Lammys”) have narrowed the 2022 finalists down to five finalists each in 24 categories. Here are the categories and their finalists.
Book Riot Recommends
I’m a Contributing Editor at Book Riot, I write the Today in Books newsletter, and I’m a Bibliologist for Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations subscription service. I also have a PhD in English, so I’m basically a doctor of books. Books are my life, in other words, so in this section of the newsletter, let me share with you some upcoming books I’m super excited about. And I think you will be too!
Can’t Wait for This One
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi (Del Ray, June 23rd)
What can I say? I can’t help but root for a story where three strong women team up with one another to change the world. After all, that’s the dream. Women supporting women. Crushing everyone that gets in their way. Put that story in a African and Arabian-inspired fantasy world? Include a sapphic storyline? And yes, you can sign me right up.
The Final Strife is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy set in a world where a cruel empire divides its people by blood. Red is the blood of the elite. Blue is the blood of the poor. And clear is the blood of the enslaved. The Empire has begun a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, which means the stage is set for rebellion. Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa—women from completely different backgrounds—will band together and combine their strengths in an attempt to change the world.
This book promises romance, action, adventure, intrigue, suspense, and fabulous, imaginative world-building. I already have a feeling The Final Strife is a book everyone is going to be talking about when it comes out, so mark your calendars!
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Words of Literary Wisdom
“Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.”
— Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
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To end today, I just wanted to tell you a little bit more about Phantom. We already had two cats when I saw Phantom’s picture posted on our local shelter’s Instagram back in October 2020, but I fell in love with him and had to have him. By November, I convinced my husband and we went to the shelter to get him.
Phantom was little and shy at first, and he needed surgery on one eye because of a condition called entropion. But his eye didn’t inhibit his ability to play and run around. We called it his magic eye. When he came out of his shell, he ended up being the sweetest, most wonderful cat we could have ever asked for. He had the biggest heart. Our cat Murray took to him right away and they became best friends.
Phantom loved to play. He loved trying to steal our food when we weren’t looking. He loved climbing up to the highest places. He loved cuddling up with his sibling kitties. And we loved him so, so much.
Again, thank you so much for letting me share him with you.
đź’™ Emily